Inclusion and Equity Committee Diverse Recruitment Task Force 1 “Literature Review”

Engage in a literature review of current recruitment of underrepresented groups and from the literature review, recommend a series of policies that encapsulate best practices for use at the UNLV Libraries

Learning from Las Vegas: Adapting Workflows for Managing Born-Digital Design Records

Architecture collections have been a mainstay for Special Collections and Archives at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV SCA), since the late 1970s. Until 2017, most architecture collections in Special Collections and Archives have consisted of physical records. In recent years, curators began acquiring architecture collections with significant born-digital content, which present unique challenges different from other types of born-digital materials. This case study discusses how staff adapted existing workflows for born-digital materials to process and describe two collections comprised of born-digital architecture and design records. The authors also describe how UNLV SCA provides access to proprietary design files through the creation of access surrogates. Lessons learned from adapting workflows and processing these collections are detailed, as well as future steps for continuing the development of workflows and policies for managing born-digital architecture and design records

Understanding Design Preferences and Expectations on Wearable Monitoring Systems for Diabetes

The purpose of this research was to understand preferences and expectations on wearable e-nose system designs to develop a wearable monitoring system integrated into clothing to measure breath and skin gases from wearers for real-time health monitoring. The results of this research are expected to be beneficial for apparel designers and engineers when developing these wearable monitoring systems

Balancing the Art and Science of Archival Processing Metrics and Assessment

At the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries, archival processing metrics are used to support value propositions, project proposals, project management, and strategic planning. When making data-driven decisions, UNLV Special Collections Technical Services staff strive to balance the art and science of archival processing metrics—to critically assess their data and look beyond the numbers for additional information that brings meaning to the metrics. In this research paper, the authors review processing metrics across the profession and place their own archival processing field data within the context of more than three decades of professional practice. They report and explore UNLV’s processing rates and the variables that potentially influence their rates. Learning from methods piloted during special projects, they reach toward a more streamlined, sustainable assessment practice. They also include a “work in progress”—an experimental framework that suggests core processing data points for UNLV with a second tier of optional data points that may add value to metrics in specific circumstances. The flexibility and extensibility of the framework give it the potential to serve as a model for other repositories

Perspectives and Practices: Archival Processing Metrics Survey Findings

Professional literature and case studies demonstrate that processing metrics are valuable in advocating for resources, informing priorities, supporting grant proposals, and predicting costs for collection storage and care. This article analyzes responses to an archival processing metrics survey that gathered perspectives and practices from archivists working in a variety of repository types. The findings describe how archivists collect processing metrics in different ways, what data points they view as essential, and how they use certain data points to serve specific purposes. The findings indicate that although most respondents acknowledge the value of processing metrics, the majority of them still do not employ metrics in daily operations. The findings note barriers to processing assessment and highlight disparities in resources, personnel, and practices across the profession. The findings reveal a lack of clarity about best practices for archival processing assessment and a need for profession-wide guidelines. The article suggests resources for those wishing to implement processing metrics

Whole-body Vibration Training in Frail, Skilled Nursing Home Residents

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(3): 140-156, 2020. Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by diminished muscle strength, endurance, and weakened physical function. Physical frailty is often unaddressed clinically as it tends to manifest among chronic illnesses and sarcopenia, and consensus criteria for frailty diagnosis remains elusive. Whole-body vibration training (WBVT) has been used to improve deficits in lower body muscular strength and functional performance in healthy and high functioning older adults; therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of WBVT on physical frailty in skilled nursing home residents. This study compared the effects of 12 wks (2x/wk) of WBVT (n = 10) to standard care, which served as the control (CON: n = 10), on isometric knee extension strength (KE), body composition, and functional performance in 20 (16 female) pre-frail and frail skilled nursing home residents (82 ± 5 yrs). Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL scale and function was measured using the short physical performance battery (SPPB). WBVT consisted of 4 lower body exercises (partial squat, narrow squat, wide squat, calf raise) during vertical vibration (25 - 40 Hz). Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (group x time) and post-hoc paired and independent t-tests. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. There were significant group-by-time interactions for KE and SPPB. Post-hoc paired t-tests revealed that WBVT improved KE (22.3 ± 4.0 to 29.0 ± 4.5 kg) and improvement in SPPB performance approached significance (4.5 ± 2.3 to 5.2 ± 2.1 units, p = 0.089). WBVT was well tolerated and occurred without adverse health complications. WBVT can be used to counteract losses in leg strength without adverse health complications in skilled nursing home residents

A Bespoke Kinect Stepping Exergame for Improving Physical and Cognitive Function in Older People: A Pilot Study

Background: Systematic review evidence has shown that step training reduces the number of falls in older people by half. This study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of a bespoke Kinect stepping exergame in an unsupervised home-based setting. Materials and methods: An uncontrolled pilot trial was conducted in 12 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 79.3 ± 8.7 years, 10 females). The stepping game comprised rapid stepping, attention, and response inhibition. Participants were recommended to exercise unsupervised at home for a minimum of three 20-minute sessions per week over the 12-week study period. The outcome measures were choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) (main outcome measure), standing balance, gait speed, five-time sit-to-stand (STS), timed up and go (TUG) performance, and neuropsychological function (attention: letter-digit and executive function:Stroop tests) assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and trial end (12 weeks). Results: Ten participants (83%) completed the trial and reassessments. A median 8.2 20-minute sessions were completed and no adverse events were reported. Across the trial period, participants showed significant improvements in CSRT (11%), TUG (13%), gait speed (29%), standing balance (7%), and STS (24%) performance (all P < 0.05). There were also nonsignificant, but meaningful, improvements for the letter-digit (13%) and Stroop tests (15%). Conclusions: This study found that a bespoke Kinect step training program was safe and feasible for older people to undertake unsupervised at home and led to improvements in stepping, standing balance, gait speed, and mobility. The home-based step training program could therefore be included in exercise programs designed to prevent falls

At risk of being risky: The relationship between "brain age" under emotional states and risk preference.

Developmental differences regarding decision making are often reported in the absence of emotional stimuli and without context, failing to explain why some individuals are more likely to have a greater inclination toward risk. The current study (N=212; 10-25y) examined the influence of emotional context on underlying functional brain connectivity over development and its impact on risk preference. Using functional imaging data in a neutral brain-state we first identify the "brain age" of a given individual then validate it with an independent measure of cortical thickness. We then show, on average, that "brain age" across the group during the teen years has the propensity to look younger in emotional contexts. Further, we show this phenotype (i.e. a younger brain age in emotional contexts) relates to a group mean difference in risk perception - a pattern exemplified greatest in young-adults (ages 18-21). The results are suggestive of a specified functional brain phenotype that relates to being at "risk to be risky.